Wrestling Team Following Up On Successful Run

The Lynnfield-North Reading high schools wrestling program is going strong.

Not only is the squad off to a 5-0 start and a second-place finish in the Wakefield Tournament, but there are 35 students on the team – numbers that bode well for the future of two programs that couldn’t sustain by itself.

“Right now we have 22 (wrestlers) from North Reading and 13 from Lynnfield,” said coach Craig Stone. “Together we are comfortable with our numbers and depth across the weight classes. But if we were separate (programs) neither would have depth.”

Stone, who has been a wrestling coach for 37 years, started the Lynnfield program in 1977 as a club before moving up to varsity the following year. The co-op program with North Reading is in its eighth season.

However, Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association requires co-op teams to apply to remain together every two years. Following this season Lynnfield-North Reading will have to do so.

But before that happens Stone appears to be building toward a repeat of last year’s highly successful 16-7 dual meet record and runner-up finish in the Division 3 North sectionals tournament, losing to eventual Division 3 State Champion Triton.

“We’ve had a lot of success since combining with North Reading eight years ago,” Stone added. “We struggled the first couple years, but the last four years we have won 16-plus each year. And we are on pace to do that this year, too.”

The four senior captains - Matt Foss (113 pounds), Richie Falcione (138), John Elliott (152) and Phil Bishop (160) – are leading the way already. Bishop is 4-1 with four pins, including an 18-second finish in a win over Georgetown-Ipswich.

The four captains and Eric Kerr, at 106 pounds, all placed in the sectionals individual tournament last year. The team placed 10 overall, with five graduating.

“Those five wrestlers will do well regardless what weight class they compete in,” Stone said.

Stone expects four other seniors to perform well: Tyler Shaffer (126), Travis Caulfield (145), Bud Flaherty (182) and Michael D’Amico (195).

Lynnfield-North Reading opened the season on Dec. 10 with three wins in a quad-meet with Weston (49-19), Wilmington (58-22) and Hopkinton (48-27).  John Klug, a junior at 170 pounds in his first varsity season, and Bishop each recorded three wins by pin. Tom Arsenault (285) also had three wins, while freshmen Lucas Pascussi (119) and Dominic Monzione (132) notched their first varsity wins.

On Thursday, Dec. 15, the battle of the co-ops went to LNR, 63-10 over Georgetown-Ispwich. LNR took 11 of the 13 weight classes with none pins over the team that beat them by three points last year. Pascucci had a pin in 43 seconds.

At the Wakefield Tournament – LNR’s best showing in the 16-team event - Kerr, Bishop and Arsenault all came in second place. Arsenault beat the #1 seed, 2-1 in the semifinals, before dropping a 3-0 decision in the finals.

Lynnfield-North Reading improved to 5-0, 1-0 in the Cape Ann League, with a 42-24 victory over Pentucket on Wednesday. Kerr (1:49), Elliott (1:31), Klug (1:39) and Flaherty (1:01) all had first period pins.

 “We have a good nucleus of kids with a great core of senior leadership,” Stone said.. There are a lot of the variables in place, we just have to go out and take care of business.”